Hanging steps of mill-spindles



G. HOTCHKISS.

Securmg Mill Spindle Steps.

\ Patented June 29; 1852.;

UNTTED STATES PATENT @FFTQE.

GIDEON HOTOHKISS, OF WINDSOR, NEW YORK.

HANGING STEPS 0F MILL-SPINDLES.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 9,072, dated; June 29, 1852.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GIDEON Ho'roHKIss, oflVindsor, in the county of Broo-me, in the State of New York, have invented a new and improved mode of securing and adjusting the steps to grist-mill spindles and other vertical shafting by a counter-bridge and tram-block; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings and to the letters of reference marked thereon, like letters representing like parts, in which Figure 1, is a plan of the top of the counter bridge and tram block with the lever inserted. Fig. 2, a sectional view. Fig. 8, a top view with the shell removed. Fig. 4, represents the stone bearer, and tram block bearer, with the mode of connecting and securing them together vertically and horizontally.

To enable others skilled in the art, to make and use my invention I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

A represents the tram block which I construct of a circular form and of any suitable size of either wrought or cast iron. Said tram block consists of a base, 6, which may be firmly set on a stone wall or other strong bearing connected with the bed stone bearers 0, with tie bolts (Z, and stanchion timbers c, Fig. 4, so that the tram block bearing f, cannot spring from the bed stone bearers so as to move the stone up or down by fast or slow feed, but be moved only by the lighter screw 9. The base I) is 14 or 16 inches in diameter or any suitable size with a rim cast upon it, and upon said rim are cast or placed the lugs or ears h, h, h, h, rising a sufficient height above the rim to admit the set screws 2', z, i, '5, for adjusting and holding the shell y. The shell j, has a raised collar upon it of a suitable size to receive the cup or oil pot 7a, which is five inches in diameter and accurately fitted to the opening in the shell 1', and of sufficient depth to allow the step upon which the foot of the shaft or spindle Z, rests to be submerged in oil.

The under side of the oil pot is made wedge-shape to fit a corresponding wedge shape groove m, across the lever n, in which it rests when the lever is in its place.

The groove 0, in the end of the lever rests on the fulcrum p, (or sway bar) which is wedge shape see Figs. 2 and 3, and is supported by the sway bolts 9, g, which are one inch in diameter or sufliclently strong to support the weight of the running mill stone 7, said bolts 9, pass through the shells j and are held in place by the screw nuts 8. The holes in the shell 7' through which the sway bolts pass are made sufficiently large at the bottom to allow the bolts free play as shown in dotted lines Fig. 2 as the fulcrum of the lever changes when the step is raised and lowered by the lighter screw.

The sway bar or fulcrum and a portion of the lever extend below the bottom of the shell 7', through the opening t, in the top of the base Z), which is sufficiently large to allow free play to the shell j as it may change by the set screws in the process of tramming the spindle or shaft.

The lever is made either of cast or wrought iron, the long arm sufliciently long to extend 16 or 18 inches beyond the periphery of the mill stone, and large enough to prevent it from springing.

To allow the short end of said lever to work near the foundation and have the bottom rim of the base endless it is made crank form, and to secure the wedge shape edges of the fulcrum and pot to work in the corresponding grooves in the lever on a horizontal line, it is made crooked near the end. The sway bolts passing through the shell suspending the step or pot from them (the lever and pot intervening) may be varied up or down by the screw nuts to bring the long end of the lever in the center of motion as the step may change by wearing down or otherwise.

The operation is as follows. When the stone is to be raised or depressed, the end of the lever is brought up or down by means of the lighter screw, or any well known device, this raising the o-il cup with the step in it perfectly perpendicular, and itbeing guided by the hole in the collar or shell which is made to fit accurately, and also the foundation of the tram block and mill stone bearers being secured together by tie bolts or otherwise made nonelastic, a fixed relative distance of the grinding surface of the stones is secured, and a sidewise oscillation prevented in the same manner by tiebolts and stanchions, (see d, Fig. 4,) which bear against the side walls or timbers and the tramblock bearer f.

Having thus fully described my tram block and bridge tree, what I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- The manner of connecting the tram block foundation with the stone bearers by means of stanchions and screwbolts as specified, in combination with the method of suspending the lighter lever from the shell which guides and sustains the pot containing the step of the spindle by means of the shell 7' the sway bar 3) and the knife edges of the sway bar 10 and pot or their equivalents in manner and for the purposes substantially as described.

GIDEON HOTCHKISS. WVitnesses:

DE Wrr'r C. LAURENCE, T. C. DONN. 

